Refrigerating system



G. A. GASE AND E. A. SEYMER.

REFRIGERATING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED FEBI 5. 1917.

Patenfed Sept. 12, 1922.

UII IIIII J v \Lllllllllllllllllllll JIIIIIIII.

'1 I I I l idualllullllfilll.

2 SHEETS SHEET 1.

e. ALGASE AND E. A. SEYMER.

REFRIGERATING SYSTEM.

APPucnn ro FEB. s. 1917;

Patented Sept. 12, 1922.,

2 S H EETS Lwz,

SHEET 2.

Patented Sept. 12, 1922.

attain arena castes.

GEORGE A. GASE, OF EAST CLEVELAND, AND ERVIN A. SEYMER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

REFRIGERATING svsrnm.

Application filed February 5," 1917. Serial No. 146,597.

' To all 10 ho m it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE A. GAsn and Envnv A. SnYMEn, citizens of the United States, and residents, respectively, of East Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, and Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Refrigerating Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a refrigerating apparatus of the ugial type in which a suitable refrigerating material, such as ammonia gas, is liquefied and permitted to expand through an expansion coil for the purpose of extracting heat from the atmosphere or substances which surround the coil in which the expansion takes place.

The present invention has to do with the apparatus in which the gaseous ammonia or equivalent material is driven off from an absorbing tank by means of heat, the gas thus driven 01f under pressure subsequently being cooled to the point at which the gas liquefies.

In such machines as is well known the cycle of operation is a continuing one, that is to say, the gas is liquefied, then permitted .80 to expand through a coil to again assume gaseous form, is absorbed in a suitable manner, and by heat is driven ofl from the absorber under pressure and again liquefied. In such machines it has been usual to control the various functionings of the machine automatically, and particularly it has been a common expedient to cause the burners to light beneath the absorbing tank, for the purpose of' driving off the gas from the absorbing tank, by some device which is controlled by the pressure in that part'of the system in which the liquid ammonia is contained. Such a method of controlling is not entirely satisfactory, and it is the purpose of this invention to provide ameans for automatically and positively insuring the functioning of the apparatus to start the operation of driving the gas from the absorber, when the liquid ammonia has been exhausted or substantially exhausted from the receptacle or tankin which it is stored, regardless of the pressures existing in the apparatus and the system of which the apparatus may be a part.

Generally speaking, the invention c0mprises the elements and combinations thereof set forth in the accompanying claims.

Reference should be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which Fig. 1 rather diagrai'nmaticallyv shows in elevation an apparatus embodying the well known elements of a refrigerating apparatus and in addition the device .of this invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in F ig. 1; Fig. 3 is an elevation showing a portion of the apparatus shown in the other figures; Fig. 4 is an elevation showing a detail of construction of a trip mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, the absorption tank is indicated at 1. This is an elongated tank which contains a substance, such as water, in which the gas is absorbedv upon return from an expansion coil, not shown, form ng a part of the system of which the apparatus herein described is a portion. This tank 1 is connected with a coil of condensing pipes shown at 2 in Fig. 2, the gas which is driven ofi' from the tankl by heating of the tank 1 passes through a pipe, thB upper portion of which is indicated at 3, to

the coil 2 as is indicated in Fig. 2.

The condensing coil 2 is connected with a tank 4-wh1ch is provided for the purpose of receiving and storing-liquid ammonia, which comes from the coil 2. The liquid ammonia finds exit from the tank 4: by means of a pipe 5, the connections of which will be e71;-

plained a little later. The tank 1 is housed within a water containing receptacle 6 which as its title indicates is adapted to receive water for the purpose of cooling the liquor within tank -1 after the tank 1 has been heated and the ammonia gas driven off, the cooling being for the purpose of preparing the tank 1 to again absorb gas. v

The tank '6 is by a pipe 7 connected with a tank 8 which is at one side of the tank 6 as indicated in Fig. 1. This tank is connected to a pipe 9 which leads to a sewer connection so that "when desired the water contained in the tank 6 may be discharged.

WVithin the tank 8 there is a float 10. This float. has a downwardly extending rod, 11

which operates a valve 12, this ,valve being placed in the discharge connection from the tank 8 ate point below that-at whieh'the connected through the 5 suitable source of gas go in a la ge tank 14.

25 of the tank i l,

45 the as sion coil.

pipe 7 communicates with the connection to the tank 8. Therefore it will be clear that the tank 8 is in communication at all times with the tank 6 so that if there is any water in tank 6 the water will rise to the same level within the tank 8, and will tend to raise the float 10 which is within the tank 8. If thefioat 10 be raised by water which may be admitted to tank 8 i'twill operate the yalve 12 so as to permit the discharge of water from the tank 6 to the sewer connection 9. For the purpose oi" heating the tank 1 there are burners 13 which may be pipe 13 with any supply for the purpose of heating the tank 1 at such times as it is desired in the operation of the apparatus.

The tank 4; and the coil 2 are housed with- Within this tank the is a subsidiary or second tank, which is indicated at 15. This subsidiary tank contains the liquefied ammonia tank l, and the walls 15 are slightly lower than the walls is admitted for the purpose of cooling the tank l and the coils 2 is first admitted to the compartment containing the tank 4 so that't'he tank 4 will receive the coldest water as supply. This water will overflow the walls of the tank 15 and into the tank ll immersing the coils 2. I

As is well known from the operation of such devices the cold water which thus im- 35 nierscs the tank l and the coil 2, will cause the gaseous ammonia which is under pressure due to the driving off of the ammonia gas to the tank 1 by heat, to lique't'y in the v coils 2 and the tank 4, and the tank 4t of go course recen'lngr the coolest water will main tain the liquefied ammonia which may collect therein, in its liquefied state.

In the apparatus herein shown the water which surrounds the coil 2 is utilized to cool tank 1 after the ammonia gas has been driven off from the tank 1 by heating the same, and liquefied ammonia gas is expanding through the expansion coil, and the gaseous liquor contained in the tank. it will be obvious that the liquor within the tank 1 must be cooled hetore it is in condition to absorb the ammonia returning from the expan- For this purpose there is a connection between the tank 14 and the tank 6 which is not shown. This connect-i on contains a valve so that the valve may be operated at the proper time to accomplish the result 60 which has just been stated. This eflects an economy in the use of water in the operation of the apparatus. As before explained. when the Water in the tank 6 has served its purpose, it is discharged from the tank 6 through the sewer connection 9.

and in practice water which ammonia which has passed through 50 the expansion coil is to be reabsorbed in the As has before been explained, there is a pipe 5 which leads from one end of the liquid ammonia tank l. Thispipe 5 communicates with the top of a small container 20. There he pipes 5 and 21 are rather long pipes, and intermediate their end portions are formed with coils 5* and 21 this being for the purpose of giving some resiliency so that the receptacle may have a limited movement without putting an undue strain upon the pipes 5 and 21. I

The particular method of providing for this resiliency is the one preferred, although any other method or constra nt-ion may be employed to secure the desired result.

The receptacle 20 is pivotally mounted upon a lever 23. This lever i's in turn pivot ally mounted as indicated 24, and the arm of the lever which extends beyond or by the pivotal portion 2a has mounted thereon a weight which may be adjusted along the arm so as to counterbalance the receptacle 20.

Vllithin the tank 15 which surrounds the liquid ammonia tank there is a small tank 26. The walls of this tank are lower than the tank 15, and in supplying Water to the tanks 15 and 14, the water is first caused to flow in the tank 26, which overflow into the tank let. This arrangement insures that the coldest Water supplied to the apparatus will be in the tank 26, so that the contents of the receptacle 29 will he cooled to the lowesttemperature of any of the yarious receptacles, and will thus insure the'contents, which is liquid ammonia, always being maintained in a liquid condition.

It will be apparent that liquid ammonia which passes from the tank 4- will through the pipe l" and from the receptacle 20 will pass by means of the pipes 2i and 22 to the place where the liquid ammonia is to be expanded. Therefore, at all times that there is liquid ammonia in the tank 4. there will be liquid ammonia in the receptacle 20, and in fact after the liquid'ammonia has entirely passed from the tank 4. there will. be some liquid ammonia in the receptacle 20.

When full will he delivered to the receptacle 20,

When the receptacle 2'0 is filled with liquid 2 ammonia the receptacle 20 will be depressed because of the weight ot' the liquid ammonia within the receptacle 20. This will then cause the receptacle 20 to he submerged at least in part, within the water in the tank 26. While this condition .is existent, the lever 23 will occupy a position substantially such as shown. in Fig. l, or it may perhaps be tilted slightly in a clockwise direction as the weight of the receptacle filled with liquid ammonia will overbalance the com effect of the weight 25 assisted by the buoyarray of the water in which the receptacle 20 is in part submerged, will cause the receptacle to rise, moving the lever 23 about its pivot in a counter-clockwise direction.

4 Tot the lever 23 there is'secured an arm 27, and pivotally connected with the arm 27'is a rod 28. This .rod at its lower end 'extends I through an opening formed: in an! arm 29 which is secured upon a shaft indicated at 30. There is a secondlarm' 29 secured upon 'a shaft arm 30, which arm has an angular extension 31, to which angular extension there is secured a weight 32 so'that the arm is normally thrown forward because of the overhanging weight 32. The arm 29 bears against a nut 33 carried upon the rod 28, the nut and rod having a screw threaded engagement so that the nut may; be adjusted along the rod 28 and so determine theposition of the lever 29 with respect to the! rod. The arm 29 carries a foot 34 which engages with a hook or ofi'set formedupon a lever 36. The foot 34 engages with the offset 35 so asv to prevent the lever; 36 from,rising until the foot 34 is moved from its engagement with the offset 35.

The lever 36 is pivotally connected with a rod 37 Which extends within the tank 8 and is secured to the top of the float 11). It will therefore be apparent that when the lever 36 is locked by the foot 34, the float 10 is prevented from rising within the tank 8, even if-there be water within that tank, and this condition is maintained so long as the receptacle 20 contains liquid ammonia.

It will be apparent that as the liquid ammonia passes from the receptacle 20, and this receptacle rises. due to its buoyancy in the water in tank 26. the lever 23'is tilted and so the rod 28 is moved,-which in turn pushes the arm 29. thereby moving the foot 34 to release thecotlset 35, which from the construction described, it will be apparent,

permits the float 10 to rise within the tank 8 if there is water within that tank.

It is necessary that the valve 12 be maintained in its closed position during the period when thetank 1 is acting as an ab-- sorber, but inasmuch asthe water from the tank 6 may flow to the tank8. it will be apparent that the tendency of the float 10 within the tank 8 would be to rise and so open the valve' 12. However, the float 10 will be prevented from rising because the foot 34 will hold the lever 36 in its' locked position and so prevent the float 10 from rising until such time as the liquid ammonia within the tank 4 has been erthausted, and has been substantially exhausted from the receptacle 20. Then as has previously been.

explained, the rise of thereceptacle 20 will move the foot 34 to such-position as to release the lever 36 and permit the float 10 to rise, thus opening the valve l2-and permitting the water within the tank 6 to run to thesewer.

This functioninf of the apparatus, however, only takes p ace when the liquid ammonia has entirely passed from the storage tank for the same, at which time'the ammonia gas from the expansion coil has substantially all been reabsorbed by the liquor in tank 1, and, of course, under these conditions it is necessary to again heat the tank 1 for the purpose of driving off the ammonia gas; hence the presence of the Water in the tank 6 is not desirable or necessary.

A gas valve 13 is placed in the gas main 13 and this valve is operated by a rod 13 which is attached to the lever 36 and is moved by the same.

lVhen the lever 36 is held down. by the foot 34, the gas is shut off and conversely, when the lever 36 rises the rod 13 moves in a manner to open the gas valve.

The particular point which it is desired to emphasize in connection with the auxiliary liquid ammonia receptacle 20 and the parts connected therewith, is that the use of this receptacle and its co-operating parts serves to' cause the water to discharge from tank 6, and the gas for heating tank 1 to be affected T00 in1mediately,'at the time that the liquid a mmonia has passed from the receptacle 20, and this operation is entirely independent of the pressure that may be existent in the system at the time; Furthermore, the very manner in which the tank 20 and its cooperating parts operate is such as to insure its correct operation and functioning at the proper time as the forces operating, that is to say, the gravity of the receptacle 20 and the buoyancy of the water within the tank 26 are constant forceswhich do not vary and which do not change or vary with the constant use of the apparatus, nor are these devicesin any material way affected by the change of atmospheric temperature, nor do they require any particular adjustment after they have once been adjusted to meet the to again descend. a projection 36 on lever 36 is caught by the head 38 and maintained in its upper position. This then prevents the fioat.l() from descending as the water passes out of the tank (3, so that by no chance can the valve 12 become closed.

The float l() is released by the head 38 just before water is admitted to the tank 3, and this is accomplished automatically by means of the movement of athermostat indicated at ll, associated with the tank 1. This thermostat operates a rod ll. "lhe thermostat, oi course will be expanded as the tank 1 is heated, and when. the water in the tank 1 has been heated to the point where the ammonia is entirely expelled. the tempera ture of the Water will be sin mient to cause the-thermostatto move the'rod ll. The rod ll is loy means of a cranlt t2, connected with a shaft 43 which is mounted in hracke s 4%,.

- At the upper end of the shaft l3 "there an arm l which has a loose connection with a rod 39 which in. turn is securd to the arm When, therefore, the rod 41 is moved by the expansion of the thermostatic couple it causes, through the'instrun'ientality oi the cranlc g, shaft and arm 45. the arm 39 to he moved, and the movement causes the extension 38 of the arm 39 to he moved out of engagement with the shoulder or stop so which is carried upon the lever Therefore the lever 36 is released and by gravity the tloat drops in the tank 8 so that the valve 12 is closed.

When the float has dropped to its lowest position, the foot 3% is above the hook 35, as it will be apparent that the foot 3% may he moved back by the hook 235 as itl descends. but owing to the overhanging Weight 32. the foot 34 would be u'iovedhzwk into position above the hool; 35 as soon as the hoolrilfi had passed the foot 34.

We Wish to call attention to the tact that.

the presence of the water surrounding tank is primarily for the. purpose oi maintaining the contents of the receptacle in liquid condition as the Weight is the main counterhalancing agency, if the tank 20 were cooled otherwise than by Water, the counter-balancing of tank 20 would he entirely by weight 25.

Having thus described our invention, What We claim/is;

l. in a refrigerating apparatus, an absorbing means, liquefied gas containing;- means, a

Water tank for cooling the absorbing means,-

a device for controlling the discharge of water from said tank, and'means operatively connected with the said device controlled by the quantity of liquefied gas in the liquilied gas containing means for efi ecting the operation of said device to permit discharge of the water from said tank.

2. lo a refrigerating apparatus, an ahsorloin means, liquefied gas containing; means,

of said Watertank, and means controlled by I the quant ty of hquefiecl gas in the liquid. gas

containing means for effecting; the operation of said valve to permit discharge water from said Water tan l'n a-refrigeratingapparatus,an -iorhing meats-a liquifiecl containing means, a water tank for cooling the absorbing means, a valve,t'or controlling the o oi Water from saicl tank, a device a opted to co-operate with the liquified in the liquified gas containing means said. device having an operative connection with the aforesaid valve, said device moving to effect the operation of said valve to permit discharge of water from said water substantially all of the liquefied gas l'll passed from the liquefied gas containing means.

5. In a refrigerating apparatus, an a sorhing means, liquefied gas containing means, a water tank" for cooling the absorb iug means, a valve for controlling the dis-- charge of water from said tank, an auxiliary *harge lll uefied ascontainin rece )tacle means l h b v connecting toe said receptacle with the liquefied gas containing means. means for sup porting: said receptacle which permits a movement of the receptacle. operative con nections between. the receptacle and the aforesaid valve. the said connections maintaining the valve in closed position when. the said receptacle is filled With liquefied gas and the said. connectionsetllecting the o 'ieration of said valve to permit the discharge of Water from said tank when the said receptacle is empty.

6. In a refrigerating apparatus, an absol-hing means,-a liquefied gas containing .n'ieans, a Water tank for cooling the absorbint: means, a valve for controlling the discharge of Water from the said tank, an auzo iliary liquefied gas containing receptacle, operative connections between the said receptacle and the said valve. the said receptacle when containingliquefied i'naintaining the same operative connections in such condition that the valve is held in closed position, anol t 1 receptacle when empty causin said operative connections to move an operation of the valve to'open ngz llllll izs lilill 7 In a refrigerating apparatus, an absorbing means, a liquefiedgas containing charge'ofwaterfrom said tank, an auxiliary liquefied gas containing receptacle, the said "receptacle "having a pipe connection with tending to raise the said receptacle against the'liqueiied gas containing means, the said receptacle also having a discharge pipe whereby all. theliq'uefied gas from the liquefied gas containing means must pass through the said receptacle, means for pivotally mounting said auxiliary receptacle, means the action of the weight of the liquefied gas in "said receptacle, operative con-nections' between. the said receptacle and the valve, said operative connections maintaining the Valve in closedposition when the receptacle contains liquefied gas, the said receptacle being moved upward when it is empty, the said operative connections then effecting a movement of the valve to. open position thereby to discharge water from the said tank.

' 8. In a refrigerating apparatus, an absorbing means, liquefied gas containing means, a water tank for coolin the absorbing means, a valve for controlling the dis charge of water from said tank, an auxiliary liquefied gas containing receptacle, means for movably mounting the said receptacle, a pipe connection between the said receptacle and the liquefied gas containing means, a discharge pipe for the said receptacle, a tank containing a fluid in whichv the said auxiliary receptacle is immersed, operative connections between the said receptacle and the said valve, said operative connections maintaining the valve in closed position when the receptacle contains liquefied gas, and effecting an operation of the valve to open position when the auxiliary receptacle contains no liquefied gas.

9. In a refrigerating apparatus, an absorbing means, a liquefied gaS' containing means, a water tank for cooling the absorbing means, a valve for controlling the discharge of water from said tank, an auxiliary liquefied gas containing receptacle, a pipe .connecting the liquefied gas containing means .with the auxiliary receptacle, an exit pipe "from said receptacle, a pivoted lever upon which the said receptacle'is mounted, means whereby the receptacle is buoyed up, a rod connected with the said lever, and operative connections between the said rod and the said valve whereby the valve may be operated by the movement of the said receptacle'when it is empty.

10. In a refrigerating apparatus, an absorbing means, liquefied gas containing means, a water tank for cooling the absorbing means. a device for controlling the (llS- charge of water from'sald tank, heating means for the absorbing means, a second device for controlling the "functioning of said the operation of the said devices to permit the discharge of water from said tank and cause the functioning of said heating means.

11. In a refrigerating apparatus, an absorbing means, liquefied gas containing means, a Water tank for cooling the absorbing means, a device for controlling the discharge of water from said tank, means for heating the absorbing means, a second device for controlling the functioning of said heating/means, an auxiliary liquefied gas containing receptacle, means connecting the said receptacle with the liquefied gas containing means, means for supporting the said receptacle which permits a movement of the said receptacle, operative connections between the receptacle and the aforesaid device associated with the water tank and also with the second device associated with the heating means the'said connections maintaining the devices in closed position when the said receptacle is filled with liquefied .gas, and the said connections effecting the operation of said devices to permit the discharge of water from said tank andcausing the functioning of the heating device when the said receptacle is empty.

12. In a refrigerating apparatus, an absorbing means, a liquefied gas containing means, a tank for cooling the absorbing means, a device for controlling the discharge of water from said tank, means. for heating the absorbing means, a device controlling the functioning of said l'ieating means, an auxiliary liquefied gas containing receptacle, a pipe connecting the receptacle with the liquefied gas containing means, a discharge pipe for the said receptacle whereby all the liquefied gas from the liquefied gas' containing means must pass through the said receptacle, means for supporting said receptacle said receptacle when said receptacle is empty, the said operative connections then effecting a movement of the aforesaid de-' vices to permit the discharge of the water from the said tank and the said'heating means to function.

13. In a refrigerating apparatus, an absorbing means, a liquefied gas containing means, a water tank for cooling the absorb- .ing means, a device for controlling the discharge of Water from said tank, nieans for heating the absorbing nieans a second device for controlling the functioning of the said heating means, an auxiliary liquid gas containing receptacle, a pipe connecting the liquefied gas containing means with the auxiliary receptacle an exit pipe from said receptacle, a pivoted lever upon one end oi 10 which said receptacle is mounted, e counterour signatures.

GEORGE A. GAS F ERVIN A. SEYMER. 

